Veteran Twiggy Photographer Accused Of Groping Two Women

The legendary photographer, who discovered sixties style icon Twiggy appeared in court today charged with sex attacks with two women he approached - persuading one to pose for provocative snaps.

Barry Lategan, 80, photographer to the rich and famous, is accused of fondling one of the breast's of each woman, one of whom was approached on a bus and the other in a coffee shop.

Two of his photographic portraits of Twiggy hang in the Victoria & Albert Museum and he has photographed among others HRH Princess Anne, Paul and Linda McCartney, Iman, Germaine Greer, Margaret Thatcher and Salman Rushdie.

The award-winning photographer, of Grosvenor Park, Camberwell has a C.V.which includes front pages of fashion magazines Vogue and Harpers Bazaar

He appeared at Hammersmith Magistrates Court charged with sexually assaulting a female, 44, in Fulham Road, Fulham on June 3, 2013 and another at her flat in Redcliffe Square, West Brompton on July 17, last year.

Wearing his trademark wide-brimmed hat and union flag bow-tie he quipped from the dock: "I have been asked to remove my hat. As Maurice Chevalier said: 'It's the only thing you can take off to a lady in public.'"

Prosecutor Miss Kate Shilton successfully applied for the case to be sent to Isleworth Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on March 3 due to its seriousness.

It is alleged Lategan sat too close to the bus complainant and after showing off his portfolio of work followed her off and hugged her in the street and groped her breast, revealing that her was noticeably aroused.

He met the second woman in Cafe Nero and they went to her flat, where after allegedly asking her to spread her legs during a photo shoot on her sofa he stroked her thigh and fondled her breast.